How to Prepare for TOEFL: Section-wise Tips & Tricks

The TOEFL preparation requires dedication and strategic planning. By understanding the test format, creating a structured study routine, utilizing quality resources, and practicing regularly across all sections, you can improve your chances of achieving a high TOEFL score.

Preparing for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies and tips, you can enhance your chances of achieving a high score. The TOEFL iBT test monitors the candidates’ ability to understand the English language at the university level. The TOEFL exam assesses candidates' English proficiency on four major sections, which include reading, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. While preparing for the TOEFL test, first of all, candidates should understand the TOEFL test format and the scoring system of the test.

This article provides detailed tips and tricks to help you master each section of the TOEFL, from improving your reading comprehension and note-taking abilities to improving your speaking fluency and essay-writing skills. Learn how to create a better vocabulary, manage your time efficiently, and utilize high-quality resources to achieve your best possible score on the TOEFL. With targeted preparation, you can approach each section with confidence and maximize your overall performance.

Why Is TOEFL Important for Indian Students?

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is accepted by over 13,000 universities in 160+ countries, including the USA, Canada, Germany, and Australia. It evaluates your ability to use and understand English in academic settings — a key requirement for international education.

Whether you're applying for undergraduate, graduate, or professional programs, a strong TOEFL score boosts your admission chances and may even help with scholarships.

How to Start Your TOEFL Preparation

Before diving into books or practice tests, it’s essential to plan your preparation timeline. Here’s how Indian students can begin their TOEFL journey:

Understand the TOEFL Exam Pattern

Familiarity with the TOEFL test structure is the first step. TOEFL has four sections:

• Reading
• Listening
• Speaking
• Writing

Each section is scored out of 30, with a total score range of 0–120.

Set a Target Score

Check the TOEFL score requirements of your shortlisted universities. Aim higher than the minimum score for better chances.

Make a Realistic Study Plan

Depending on your current English proficiency, plan a 4–8 week study schedule. Allocate time for each section and include practice tests at regular intervals.

Top TOEFL Preparation Tips for Every Section

One can check the below-mentioned tips for TOEFL prep for each section of the exam. 

TOEFL Reading Tips 2025

• Read regularly university textbooks or other materials that cover a variety of subject areas (e.g., sciences, social sciences, arts, business, etc.) and are written in an academic style. A wide variety of academic texts are available on the Internet as well as in magazines and journals.
• Practice skimming a passage to get a general impression of the main idea, instead of carefully reading each word and each sentence.
• After skimming a passage, read it again more carefully and write down the main idea, major points, and important facts.
• Practice frequently to increase the reading rate and fluency.
• Choose some unfamiliar words in the passage and guess the meaning from the context (surrounding sentences). Then, look them up to determine their meaning.
• Underline all pronouns (e.g., he, him, they, them, etc.) and identify the nouns to which they refer in the passage.
• Practice making inferences and drawing conclusions based on what is implied in the passage as a whole.
• Identify the passage type (e.g., classification, cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution, description, narration, etc.) and its organization.
• Create an outline of the passage to distinguish between major and minor points.
• Create an oral or written summary of the passage using the charts and outlines.
• Paraphrase individual sentences in a passage. Then, paraphrase entire paragraphs.

TOEFL Listening Tips

• Increase vocabulary.
• Focus on the content and flow of spoken material while listening. Create an outline of the information discussed while listening. Write main ideas, major points, and important details. Use the outline to write a summary after listening. Gradually increase the amount of presentation used to write the summary.
• Listen for the signal words that indicate the introduction, major steps or ideas, examples, and the conclusion or summary.
• Listen for words that show connections and relationships between ideas. Identify the relationships between ideas: cause/effect, compare/contrast, and steps in a process.
• Anticipate what a person is going to say as a way to stay focused. Listen to recorded material and stop the recording at various points. Predict what information or idea will be expressed next.
• Try to assess the purpose of the speech or conversation - an apology, complaint, suggestion
• Notice if the language is formal or casual. Pay special attention to the speaker's tone of voice. Is the speaker’s voice calm or emotional? What is the speaker's degree of certainty about the information he/she is presenting
• Make note of changes in topic or digressions.
• Observe the way stress and intonation patterns are used to convey meaning.

TOEFL Speaking Preparation Tips

• Increase vocabulary and learn to use idiomatic speech appropriately.
• Learn grammatical structures and use them naturally when speaking.
• Work on pronunciation, including word stress, intonation patterns, and pauses. (several products and websites can help you develop pronunciation skills.)
• Take some time to think about what you’re going to say before you speak. Write down a few keywords and ideas, but do not attempt to write down exactly what you are going to say. (Raters will be able to detect responses that are read and give them a lower rating.)
• Use signal words and expressions to introduce new information or ideas, connect ideas, and mark important words or ideas. This will help the listener easily follow what you are saying. (For example, “on the one hand…,” “but on the other hand…,” “what that means is…,” “The first reason is…,” “another difference is…”)
• Make a list of familiar topics, and practice speaking about them. Practice giving one-minute responses to topics.
• Describe a familiar place or recount a personal experience.
• Later, state an opinion or a preference and present clear, detailed reasons for it.
• Make a recommendation and explain why it is the best way to proceed.

• Find a textbook that includes questions about the material at the end of chapters, and practice answering the questions orally.
• Read a short article (100–200 words). Make an outline that includes only the major points of the article. Use the outline to orally summarize the information.
• Find listening and reading material on the same topic covered by the article. The material can contain similar or different views. Take notes or create outlines on the listening and reading of the material
  • Orally summarize the information in both the written and spoken materials using different words and grammatical structures.
  • Orally synthesize the material by combining the information from the reading and listening materials and explaining how they relate.
  • State an opinion about the ideas and information presented in the reading and listening material and explain how they relate.
  • If the reading and/or listening material describes a problem, suggest and explain a solution to the problem.
• Make recordings of your speeches and evaluate them on the following parameters
  • Clarity of the speech
  • Grammatical correctness of the speech
  • Correct Usage of words
  • Clear and appropriate organization of ideas
  • Speed of the speech
  • Number of pauses in between

Top TOEFL Writing Tips

• Increase vocabulary and knowledge of idiomatic speech so you can use it appropriately.
• Learn grammatical structures so well that you can use them naturally when writing.
• Learn the conventions of spelling, punctuation, and layout (e.g., paragraph creation).
• Find a textbook that includes questions about the material at the end of chapters and practise writing answers to the questions.
• Read an article that is about 300–400 words long. Make an outline that includes the major points and important details of the article. Use the outline to write a summary of the information and ideas. Summaries should be brief and communicate only the major points and important details. Be sure to paraphrase using different words and grammatical structures.
• Find listening and reading material on a single topic on the Internet or in the library. The material can provide similar or different views. Take notes on the written and spoken portions, and do the following:
  • Summarize the information and ideas in both the written and spoken portions.
  • Synthesize the information and discuss how the reading and listening materials relate. Explain how the ideas expressed are similar, how one idea expands upon another, or how the ideas are different or contradict each other.
• Paraphrasing involves restating something from the source material in one’s own words.
• Learn to find synonyms with ease. Pick 10 to 15 words or phrases in a reading passage and quickly think of synonyms without looking them up in a dictionary or thesaurus.
• Write a paraphrase of a reading passage using only your notes. If you haven’t taken notes, write the paraphrase without looking at the original text. Then check the paraphrase with the original passage to make sure that it is factually accurate and that you have used different words and grammatical structures.
• Make a list of familiar topics and practise writing about them. For each topic state an opinion or a preference and then support it with evidence. Practice planning and writing at least one essay for each topic. Be sure to take 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise each essay. Think about and list all ideas related to a topic or task before writing.
• Identify one main idea and some major points to support that idea, and plan how to communicate them (by creating, for example, an outline to organize ideas).
• Create a focused thesis statement and use it to develop the ideas presented in the essay. Develop the essay by using appropriate explanation and detail.
• Express information in an organized manner, displaying the unity of thought and coherence.
• Use signal words and phrases, such as “on the one hand” or “in conclusion,” to create a clear structure for your response.

Ideal TOEFL Study Timeline (4-Week Plan)